Animal-trap.



W. G; GATES.

MIIHAL TRAP. Arrmonmn FILED AUG. 13, 1910.

Patented May 23', 1911.

I INVENTOI? Man/M41 6. 6/7756,

WITNESSES.

ATTOHNEYS VTILLIAL'I G. GATES, F WALLACE. IDAHO, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF '10 ALTA L.

HONEKEB,

OF WALLACE, IDAHO.

ANIZVIAL-TRAP.

Application filed August 13, 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

Serial No. 576,991.

The invention relates particularly to an a resident j Shoshone. 1n

of which and thus in capturing k capturing improvemmit in box or cage traps and to improved means for tripping and releasing i formed of a wire or rod hung loosely on a spring-actuated doors, so that they close automatically and thus confine the animal. The details of construction and operation of parts are as hereinafter described. and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which-- Figure 1 line il of Fig. 2.

is a longitudinal section Fig. 2 is a hoizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a transverse section on the line 3-3 ot' Fig. 2. Fig. s is a perspective view of the front or entrance end of the trap.

Thehody of the trap is in theform of an oblong, rectangular box 1, which may be constructed of various materials, preferably of galvanized sheet-iron. The normally open front end of the box is provided with hing-ed doors 2 which are held normally closed by me: us of Wire springs 3 that are coiled about the pintles ti. The pintles are part ot a wire frame which is inserted in the end of the hon: 1 and held in place by the sheet metal, which is bent around it. 'lhus, the tiranie with the sheet metal applied pro-- jects'inward from the planes of tho sidesoi' the box suliiciently doors when closed, so that they may he held in the same plane, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 4. ii hen the trap is set, the doors are pre sed inward and backward into the positions shownhy full lines in Fig. 2. and are set or locked in such position by means of a trip-bar 5 which is attached to a bar 6 -that is supported in keepers 7 fastened to the top of the trap and adapted to slide therein. Thus, the whole. trip device 5 6, is held fiat against tile. upper side of the trap as shown in Fig. l. The ends of on the i to form stops tor the the transverse trip-bar 5 are preferably bent downward a little in order to better adapt them For engagement with the doors 2.

it is apparent that. if the trip 5, 6. be moved into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. the doors 2 will be released closed automatically by means of the springs 3. The trip 5. G. is normally retracted by means of a coiled wire spring 8 whose attachment and arrangement in connection with the side of the box is suiticiently illustrated in Fig. 2, one free end of the spring engaging a loop 9 pres ed out from the longitudinal bar 6.

The trigger 10sce Figs.

pivot it and having its lower end bent upward and sharpened to facilitate the attacbn'ient and suspension o'l bait. The said pivot is formed by means of a stout wire whose ends are riveted or otherwise secured to the under side of the. top 6 oi the trap and whose middle portion is depressed and passes through a loop formed on the triL gcr 10. The upper end of the trigger 10 is bent twice at a right angle. and thus a shoulder 10- is tormed which serves as a catch. it being adapted to lock with or engage the adjacent end ot the trip bar ii.

The doorsv 2 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. as open. the, transverse trip bar 5 being arranged between and engaging their tree ends: and in such position the longitudinal trip bar 6 is. of course. engaged with the, catch 10 ot' the trigger 10. Thus, an animal entering the open end oi the box and nibbling the bait suspended from thctrigger ill. whl sooner or later release the latter from engagement with the trip-bar ii. \\'ll(.l(l1 )OT\ the spring 8 instantly retracts the trip and releases the doors 2. which are closed instantaneously by the action of the springs 33, thus imprisoning the animal.

The rear and of the box or cage may be closed by a metal plate. or a glass plate, or mirror 12, and the latter may be held securely in place by means of a pin 13 inserted through it and the vertical lip or flange termed on the top oi the box. The plate 12 is held slidably between parallel flanges 14 arranged as shown in Fig. 2. After the anirnai has been caught or imprisoned, the plate 12 may be conveniently raised or withdrawn, to discharge him from 1 and 3is.

the trap. The sides of the latter are )rovided with holes 15 for admission of light at a point adjacent to the bait.

The trip device is provided at the junction of the bars 5, 6, with a pendent pin 16 see Figs. 1 and.2wl1ich serves as a finger or thumb-pieee in setting the trap, or, in other Words, as a pull, whereby the trigger may be retracted against the tension of the spring 8 in order to set it in contact with the doors.

What I claim is 1. The improved animal trap, comprisin a box-like structure, one end being provided with hinged spring-closed doors, a set and trip device comprising a transverse bar and a longitudinal bar suspended slidably from the top ofthe box and the transverse bar arranged and adapted for engagement with the doors when open, a spring coacting with the trip for retractin it, and a bait-suspending trigger pendent from the-top of the box and adapted to engage the adjacent end of the trip, for holding t in operative position when the trap is set, substantially as described.

2. In a trap of the type indicated, a boxlike inclosure whose body is formed of sheet metal, a rectangular frame arranged in the open end of the same and the metal closed around it, "thus forming a shoulder on the inner side of the inclosure', doors hinged on ing a shoulder adapted to engage the ad-- jacent end of the trip for holding it in the position required-to set the trap, substantially as described.

WILLIAM.' G. GATES.

\Vitnesses MERRILL HLBLE HWAITE, J. T. ELLARSON.

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